GS Exhaust Upgrade Options

[S2_DPD]

Hi,

Common topic I know, and usually the direction is Valved Larini rear boxes - however has anyone gone just with Larini Centre H or perhaps Centre X section and kept the stock valved rear boxes in place?

I've had the GS for a year and would like a little more snap, crackle & pop without too much low end boom, so was wondering what just replacing the centre sections would deliver?

Also the centre sections are a grand or so less than the rear boxes.

Any expereince most welcome.

David

 

[BennyD]

Not sure I've heard that being done David. Most people get either the cats or back boxes done. Some do the lot. An X pipe will probably give you more aural pleasure but exactly how much, I couldn't tell you. You could get straight through, non valved rears for £350-400 and that would give you a lot more sonorous output. You could then re-instate the originals when you sell on. Many ways to skin this particular cat!

 

[Parisien]

The H and X pipes will only come into their own really as part of an overall set up......either larinied boxes or straights throughs as Ian says....well worth it!!!


P

 

[conaero]

I am not so sure Frank. According to David at Larini, its the mid box that causes all the noise. He said when we went for our full de cat systems that the X pipe would be too much, and to go for the H pipe.

What I would do is drive down there and get them to fit the X pipe then if its too much, get them to put the H pipe on. I personally think the H pipe will suit what you are after, plus there is a huge weight saving over the OEM lump of steel that it replaces.

Give David a call, mention the forum has pointed you in his direction and he will be pretty honest with you.

He knows his eggs!

 

[Parisien]

Had put in a H pipe with oem back boxes....made no real difference Matt......they do allow better flow though, so unless combined with something else........not a lot of point by themselves.

Are we at crossed purposes here??!!




P

 

[Mr.Cambio]

On my 4200 i first replaced the centre with the X pipe.Volume was almost the same, but the tone was a bit different( you could hear a little Ferrari inside). Then, i replaced the front section with the sport cats. Volume has increased a bit more, but the real difference is when accelerating and when the engine works above 4000 rpm. I cannot describe it, cause i have not heard it from behind, but all the chaps we go out for driving tell me the sound is stunning. I run standard back boxes. Overall i have gained a bit of hp, by much better air flow.
Note that the GS centre section is an X-pipe, but it's made of steel.
David, is the avatar your GS?Amazing combo of the car colour and the caliper..

 

[conaero]

Frank you have a 4200 so you cant make use of the fully opened back boxes so I think it will make a difference, well, worth looking into at least.

With what you have tired, I would be inclined to just go straight for the X box then.

 

[300 S]

Im sure that changing to the X or H Larini pipe whilst leaving the rest standard will have a real minimal effect , basically you will still have the 3 forms of oem muffling inplace, one of these atleast will have to be removed to have some noticable noise difference , easiest is the rear boxes , rear boxes and center section will give you a definate noticable difference , whilst still be controlable by valves , one option worth trying would be to change the oem centre section to the H pipe and have some baffles removed from the oem rear valved boxes

 

[Parisien]

Yes....as I suspected.......am a bit off GS exhausts set ups....!


p

 

[conaero]

Rear boxes are definitely the first thing to do, expensive, but worth it. Do as I did and keep your old boxes, swap back when you sell, they will be queuing up to buy them off you. Sold mine for £1500

 

[Mr.Cambio]

Matt, the difference between sport cats vs back boxes is approx. 400 pounds . To me, not too much, if you think that these items are around 2000 pounds. Therefore i think that sport cats are more important, cause they give power and sound, on the other side boxes give mainly sound. Knowing also, that the oem pipes before the cats are well muffled, the cats are the first for sound an output.

 

[Emtee]

Agree entirely Nikos. My cat collapsed so I changed them both for Larini sports cats. The single best upgrade I've made. It made the engine breath much more clearly and the improvement in performance was palpable. Then I added the H pipe and back boxes, which changed the noise, but didn't give any improvement in performance. If I were to do the same to a GS, I'd go sports cats and H pipe, but stick with the stock valved back boxes, as a full Larini is pretty raucous.

 

[adam01]

Agree entirely Nikos. My cat collapsed so I changed them both for Larini sports cats. The single best upgrade I've made. It made the engine breath much more clearly and the improvement in performance was palpable. Then I added the H pipe and back boxes, which changed the noise, but didn't give any improvement in performance. If I were to do the same to a GS, I'd go sports cats and H pipe, but stick with the stock valved back boxes, as a full Larini is pretty raucous.

Yep thinking the same

Question as GS have the X pipe, is it still necessary to change or just add the Larini's?

(Dont want too much extra noise but the squashy upfront pipes have to go)

 

[Emtee]

Yep thinking the same

Question as GS have the X pipe, is it still necessary to change or just add the Larini's?

(Dont want too much extra noise but the squashy upfront pipes have to go)

If you're sold on the sports cats, then start there and see what you think. Easy enough to add the centre section later if you want a bit more noise.

 

[BennyD]

Sports cats and straight through rears is the way to go. If your ears aren't bleeding and the cars behind are not dropping back, it's not loud enough!

 

[adam01]

Sports cats and straight through rears is the way to go. If your ears aren't bleeding and the cars behind are not dropping back, it's not loud enough!

That already happens when the wifes in the car -

 

[Maser Sod]

If I were to do the same to a GS, I'd go sports cats and H pipe, but stick with the stock valved back boxes, as a full Larini is pretty raucous.

What I plan to do after Xmas. Not sure about the H pipe, but I do want to get rid of the OEM scaffold that exists under there currently.

 

[BennyD]

That already happens when the wifes in the car -

I do find that the straight throughs drown out her screams when we are moving, but they don't stop my bollox hurting after she kicks them when we are stopped!

 

[Mr.Cambio]

Here's a video of my sound. Begins from 2:40'', but you can take a look to the rest, of course!

[video=youtube;seeu9vij1uI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seeu9vij1uI[/video]

 

[S2_DPD]

Thanks for all of your input, I've been away on holiday and out and about with work recently so not been able to respond.

There's a big fanbse for the Larini rear boxes (as expected) and something new to consider regarding the Sports Cats and centre section.

I was really hoping for big vote on "just go with the x-pipe, great sound and cheapest option too"...although that was pretty unlikely to happen.